UMass loses bias suit, ordered to promote professor

The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination fined the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth $10,000 and ordered the school to pay a professor $354,000 in damages for alleged discrimination based on gender, race and nationality.   The Commission also ordered UMass to promote the professor to full professor status, in what was described as an "unprecedented step."  The decision was issued by hearing officer Betty Waxman.  UMass may still file an appeal to the full Commission, but has not done so yet.